Things to do

1 Canals and Waterways

Amsterdam’s canals in particular, the elegant ring of three 17th-century canals known as the Grachtengordel are its defining feature.

Amsterdam Canal Cruises
Address: Nicolaas Witsenkade 1a
Phone: +31 (0)20 626 5636
www.amsterdamcanalcruises.nl

2 Rijksmuseum

The country’s largest national museum houses an unrivalled collection of 17th-century Dutch art, and much besides. Vermeer’s Milkmaid and Rembrandt’s Night Watch are among the star sights.

Address: Jan Luijkenstraat 1, Amsterdam
Phone: +31 (0)20 6747000
www.rijksmuseum.nl

3 Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum houses simply the most comprehensive collection of the artist’s work to be seen anywhere in the world – including some of his most famous paintings. The collection also includes works by other 19th-century artists.

Address: Paulus Potterstraat 7, Amsterdam
Phone: +31 (0)20 570 5200
www3.vangoghmuseum.nl

4 Museum Amstelkring

Things are not always what they seem, and that is certainly true of this gem of a 17th-century house set in the unlikely surroundings of the Red Light District: tucked away on its upper floors is a rare example of a perfectly preserved hidden Catholic church. The rest of the museum is fascinating, too – the interior has changed little since the Golden Age.

Address: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40, 1012 GE Amsterdam
Phone: +31(0)20 624 66 04
www.museumamstelkring.nl

5 Begijnhof

A haven of peace, the Begijnhof was built as a refuge for the Beguines, a lay Catholic sisterhood. Amsterdam’s oldest house is here.

Address: Begijnhof 30 Amsterdam
Phone: +31 (0)20 6221918
www.begijnhofamsterdam.nl

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